Laserfiche WebLink
<br />City of Gem Lake Comprehensive Plan GEMLK 140643 <br />Page 28 <br />Table 5-5 – Land Use through 2040 - Planned Land Use (in acres) <br />Within Urban Service Area 2020 2030 2040 Change <br />2020- <br />2040 <br />Single Family – Estate 102 63 63 -38.24% <br />Single Family – Executive 215 238 238 10.7% <br />Single Family – Residential 1 Acre 90 106 106 17.78% <br />Single Family – Residential 41 41 41 0 <br />Mixed Use 81 81 81 0 <br />Public / Institutional 3 3 3 0 <br />Recreational Open Space 60 60 60 0 <br />Open Space 31 31 31 0 <br />Total 623 623 623 n/a <br /> <br /> <br />5.8 Land Use Development Constraints <br />With the many natural resources in Gem Lake, there are also associated development <br />constraints. The City of Gem Lake is a significant natural resource area, including a lake, <br />wetlands, and hardwood forests. Care needs to be exercised in the design and <br />construction of any new development in the City. Sensitive areas should be protected as <br />open space. Master planning, cluster development, and similar land use concepts should <br />be used to minimize impacts on natural resources and maximize efficiency of services. <br />5.8.1 Aggregate Resources <br />Demand for aggregate resources continues to grow in the metropolitan area. As local <br />resources become depleted, aggregate needed for urban development will have to be <br />imported from outside the seven-county metropolitan area. The City will permit gravel <br />mining operations where appropriate and consistent with the City’s zoning ordinance. It is <br />important to note that the City of Gem Lake doesn’t have any aggregate resources and <br />doesn’t anticipate any in the future. <br />5.8.2 Solar Access Protection <br />Since 1978, the Metropolitan Land Planning Act has required communities to include <br />verbiage in their plans to protect access to direct sunlight for solar energy systems. The <br />purpose of this provision is to protect solar collectors from shading by adjacent structures <br />and/or landscaping. <br />5.8.2.1 Solar Resource Policy <br />The City of Gem Lake recognizes the value of solar access protection and energy <br />conservation in general; however, the community is experiencing limited new <br />construction in its urbanized area. In addition, while a considerable amount of new <br />development will occur throughout the City in the future, the application of this provision <br />will be difficult within the context of an established land use patterns and natural <br />topography. For this reason, the City will look beyond solar accessibility alone and will <br />address the conservation of energy in general, through its comprehensive planning <br />efforts.